How do you "teach" memorization?

[TXClassicalMommy]

Especially for a 6 year old?!?!? My 9 year old son just looks at me at whines that he doesn't know how to memorize things and I can't even begin to explain it to my 6 year old.

[KIN]

I just state "We're going to learn a new verse (or poem) today." I then read the verse or poem three times in a row. I read it every day 3 times in a row. After several days I ask them to say it with me as much as they can. I continue to help them say it until they can say it on their own. I don't give my kids a written poem and expect them to memorize it. Does this help?

[Trivium Academy]

Poetry is different than other things, the poems change- the rest of our memorization items are just repeat, repeat, repeat.

First day:
For poetry I read aloud the new poem, dd reads aloud the new poem and then I say it 3x aloud. We may talk about the poem, what the author was talking about.

Second day:
I read it once and then dd reads it 2x, then focuses on the first stanza or first two lines, saying them 3x.

After that: Dd reads the entire poem 1x, recites the part she's working on 3x, ends with reciting the entire poem 1x. This continues until it is memorized. It might take a while for the first few times and the child builds up speed and accuracy the more you do it.

Consistency and review is necessary for long term memorization, we review all poems previously memorized 1x a month, the most recent 3 every two weeks.

[Beth in Central TX]

We memorize orally first too. Now that my boys are older, I put what we've memorized on a flashcard and have them review it once a week. Wal-mart carries a little flashcard binder; I buy one for each boy.

[Alana in Canada]

For stuff that's really long (like a long Bible quote--sometimes not so rhymthic as poetry!) I came across a technique in our CHristian studies material.
Write the whole thing on the board. Say it several times together. Then erase the first phrase and say the whole thing a couple of times. Erase the next bit and say it through...and so on. We haven't tried it yet.

[Karin]

And I wouldn't use the term memorization next time if it's caused problems before. Just do it. My ds learns well orally. We did it at six with me repeating it 3 times a day. He is more of an auditory learner than my girls are. Well, the jury is out right now on my 12 yo, as I think she's both auditory and visual, but don't let her hear me say that! My 9 yo does best if she can move to something or write it if it involves words. My 12 yo just does it her way, and it works better if I don't tell her how to memorize. She doesn't have one set system, either.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

You don't really "explain" it to them. You just do it, everyday, for about five minutes.

If we're doing a larger work (a poem, or a scripture passage, or a latin prayer, or whatever), I first read through the whole thing one time, to get them used to hearing it. Then, I just take the first little bit, and read it three more times. Then, I put it away.

The next day, I do the same thing. I read the whole thing through once, then repeat the first little bit (a sentence, or a stanza, or whatever), three times. Then, I put it away.

The third day, I read the whole thing, but I ask them to join me as much as they can as I do the first little part three times.

Usually, by this time, they can say the first little part with me. As they learn it, from day to day, I have them say that first little part without my help. They do it together. When they've learned it fairly well, I move on to the next stanza or sentence or whatever. We say the first (memorized) part together, then I continue to read the whole piece, then I go back and say the second little part three times. Then, we stop for the day.

Et cetera

[Kathie in VA]

The ideas given so far are great. Repetition is key. Getting the info to become familiar really helps. But here are some other specific ideas:

create picture for a few of the words... determine that together... let it be silly but somehow related. Go over the words, point to the pictures. Eventually erase the words and just point to the pictures. You'll soon not need the pictures!

make up hand signs to go along

make up silly stories (some use this with math or geography)

Chant (great with lists but also good with whole sentences)

turn your memory work into a song and sing it over and over and over...

hth